Alan,
I don't understand this comment.

Quote:

American culture is still completely caught up with its frontier myths of summary justice and rights gun ownership and this complicates the matter by tacitly encouraging vigillante style reactions that bypass the legal process and the rule of law. If America truly feels that the right to kill any person that intrudes on ones property whatever the circumstances or level of personal threat, then why does your legal system not reflect this? Could it be because the majority of people in the states actually feel this would be wrong?



I am a gun owner, I have a concealed carry weapons permit. That legally allows me to carry my pistol in certain locations concealed. It is not 007, a license to kill. There is NO right to kill a person intruding on your property. However, the laws of the land ALLOW you to defend yourself, and not only in your home or property. If I am carrying my weapon, something I do very rarely, and I am put in a position where I feel my life is in jeopardy, then I am, at least in my state, allowed to use deadly force to protect myself. After the incident, it MAY be for a jury to decide whether or not I made the correct decision at the time.

In the case of Mr. Hussein, the judge ordered him to jail, but it does not indicate that he was tried by a jury of his peers. Since I do not understand the British legal system, nor make any claims to it, was there a jury trial, and was he found guilty by that jury? If so, then the judge acted correctly. If not, then the judge, and the British legal system, is acting a judge, jury and executioner in this matter. It is simply the judge's opinion.

As to the final question in your statement, the upswing of gun ownership and purchases, and the feeling of needing to protect yourself in the last 15 months has been incredible. In our county, which is a highly Democratic, highly liberal, very left leaning area, the number of gun purchases and permits to carry have increased by hundreds of percent.

This story was published in September, 2008

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/377385_gunpermits02.html

In the time since then, and I can't find the article now, the number of carry permits issued in our county has quadrupled...or more, over last year. Earlier this year, there were over 10,000 requests for permits.

So, I believe that we are seeing a renaissance, in the United States, for fear of being a crime victim, and also out of fear of those minority who are so loud, that would remove our Constitutional right to bear arms, where the number of people who will legally own and carry weapons is increasing.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!